Swine flu victim fighting for life

A young woman is fighting for her life in Ibiza after catching a "severe" case of swine flu while on holiday.

Lindy Paterson is in a medically-induced coma after contracting the virus on the party island two weeks ago.

The 26-year-old first complained of having a cough but her conditioned worsened and she was taken to hospital.

The virus has now abated but Ms Paterson has been left with a hole in one of her lungs - doctors have told her family she may be in intensive care for as long as a month.

Miss Paterson's mother, Celine, who flew to her daughter's bedside with her husband William said the past fortnight had been "horrendous" for the family.

She said her daughter is still too ill to be moved.

"She has has a very, very severe case of swine flu. She is lucky to be alive. It has been horrendous. The worst thing is that I wasn't able to speak to my daughter before she lost consciousness. She couldn't breathe, so they had to put her on a ventilator. We are just sitting here waiting. It is just awful."

Miss Paterson, who works for Halifax bank, went to Ibiza on a "girlie" holiday in the sun with her friends.

Just days before she fell ill she called her mother in Keltybridge, Fife, to tell her how much she was enjoying her time abroad.

"She had a cough when she called me but I didn't think anything of it," Mrs Paterson said. "I can't believe how serious it got."